Are you a recent college or university grad looking to start your career in IT?
As you begin your job search, it’s important to make sure your resume stands out to potential employers. As recruiters and resume writers, we’ve seen countless resumes that fail to showcase a candidate’s skills and experience effectively.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a list of best practices for IT resumes that will help you catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.
In this article, we’ll talk about:
- Formatting and Layout
- Technical Skills
- Education & Experience
- Projects & Achievements
Formatting and Layout
When it comes to formatting and layout, it’s important to keep your IT resume clear, concise, and easy to read. Here are some best practices to follow:
Use bullet points
Bullet points are a great way to break up text and make any resume more scannable.
- Use bullet points to highlight your skills, achievements, and responsibilities in each of your previous roles. This will help recruiters quickly identify your key strengths and qualifications.
- Do the same for programming languages and certifications if you have more than a few.
Use clear and concise language
Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be familiar to all recruiters. Instead, use clear and concise language to describe your experience and accomplishments.
For example, instead of saying you “optimized database performance,” you could say you “reduced query times by 50% by implementing indexing and query optimization techniques.” This not only shows your technical proficiency but also demonstrates the impact your work had on the company’s operations.
Similarly, instead of simply stating you “worked on a mobile web-based project,” you could provide more details such as the project’s scope, your specific role, and the outcome. For instance, you could say “I led a team of developers in building a mobile app from scratch, which resulted in a 20% increase in user engagement and a 5-star rating on app stores.”
Make sure to also use action verbs to start each bullet point, such as “developed,” “managed,” or “implemented.”
Keep it to 1-page, if possible
As a new or recent university graduate, it’s unlikely that you have a lot of work experience to showcase. Therefore, it’s better to keep your resume to one page if that’s possible.
This will help ensure that recruiters are able to quickly review your qualifications without getting bogged down in too much, unnecessary detail.
In addition to these best practices, it’s also important to split up text into several paragraphs to make it easier to read and understand. You can also use tables, bullet points, and other HTML tags as necessary when it will help format and convey information to the reader.
By following these formatting and layout best practices, you can create a resume that is both visually appealing and easy to read.
Technical Skills
It should go without saying that one of the most important things IT recruiters look for in a resume is the technical skills of the candidate. These skills are essential for any IT job and can make or break a candidate’s chances of getting hired. Here are some best practices for listing technical skills in your IT resume:
List Relevant Technical Skills
When listing technical skills in your IT resume, if it’s a long list, focus on listing the skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a web developer position, you should list skills such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP.
On the other hand, if you are applying for a network administrator position, you should list skills such as TCP/IP, LAN/WAN, and routing protocols. But if the job ad is requesting candidates with a diverse technical background or education, it’s okay to put all of your skills and expertise on paper.
It is important to note, however, that you should only list the technical skills that you are proficient in. Do not include skills that you have only a basic understanding of or have never used before. This can lead to problems during the interview process when you are asked to elaborate on your technical skills.
Include Certifications and Training
In addition to listing your technical skills, it is also important to include any relevant certifications or training that you have received. These certifications and training programs demonstrate your commitment to your career and show that you are constantly learning and improving your skills.
For example, if you are applying for a cybersecurity position, you should list any certifications you have received such as CompTIA Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
Similarly, if you are applying for a software development position, you should list any training programs you have completed such as Udemy or Coursera courses.
When listing your certifications and training, make sure to include the name of the certification or program, the date you received it, and the organization that provided it. This information will help the recruiter evaluate your qualifications and determine if you are a good fit for the position.
Education and Experience
Your education and experience are the most important parts of anyone’s resume, but they can be particularly important (especially education) for new or recent grads, since their professional experience may be limited.
List Education and Relevant Course Work
As a recent university graduate, your education is likely to be one of the most significant sections of your resume. It is essential to list your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree or course work.
Include:
- the name of the institution
- the degree or coursework
- the date of graduation or expected graduation
In addition to listing your education, it is essential to include relevant course work that demonstrates your knowledge and skills in the IT field. This can include courses in programming languages, databases, networking, and cybersecurity. Be specific and highlight any projects or assignments that demonstrate your skills.
Include Internships and Relevant Work Experience
While education is essential, employers also want to see that you have practical experience in the IT field. This may be limited as a new grad, but include what you can.
Include any internships or relevant work experience you have had, even if it was not in a traditional IT role. For example, if you worked in customer service but used a specific software program, highlight that experience.
When listing your work experience, include the name of the company, your job title, and the dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments in each role.
Be as specific as possible and quantify your achievements whenever possible. For example, rather than saying you “improved customer satisfaction with online applications,” say you “increased customer satisfaction with online applications by 20% through implementing new processes.”
Projects and Achievements
When it comes to listing your projects and achievements on your IT resume, as a new grad, most of these will come from personal and/or academic projects. It’s important to highlight personal projects and academic achievements that showcase these skills and experiences. This could make your resume longer than 1-page, but if it’s worth it, go for it. Here are some best practices to follow:
Highlight Personal Projects
Personal projects are a great way to demonstrate your passion for technology and your ability to work on self-directed projects. When listing personal projects on your IT resume, make sure to include the following information:
- The name of the project
- The programming languages, tools, and technologies used
- The purpose and goals of the project
- The outcome and impact of the project
For example, if you developed a mobile app for a personal project, you could list it on your resume like this:
Mobile App Development Project
- Developed a mobile app using Java, Android Studio, and Firebase
- The purpose of the app was to help users track their daily water intake
- The app received over 100 downloads and a 4-star rating on the Google Play Store
List Academic Achievements
Academic achievements are equally important to include on your IT resume, especially if you’re a recent university graduate. When listing academic achievements, make sure to include the following information:
- The name of the degree and your major
- The name of the university and the location
- Your GPA (if it’s above a 3.0)
- Any relevant course work or projects
For example, if you recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, you could list your academic achievements on your resume like this:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
- University of XYZ, Anytown USA
- GPA: 3.5/4.0
- Relevant coursework: Data Structures and Algorithms, Computer Networks, Database Systems
- Senior project: Developed a web application using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Node.js
By following these best practices for projects and achievements on your IT resume, you can showcase your skills and experience to potential employers and increase your chances of getting hired.
Additional Tips
And then there are those usual tips and recommendations that apply to all resumes that are always worth remembering. We write, repeat and reinforce them all the time!
Tailor your resume to the job description
One of the most important things you can do to increase your chances of getting hired is to tailor your resume to the job description. This means that you should read the job posting carefully and make sure that your resume highlights the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position. It can be as easy as copying, pasting and updating.
Proofread and edit for errors
It’s important to make sure that your resume is free of errors and mistakes. Even a small typo or grammatical error can make a bad impression on a potential employer.
Make sure that you proofread your resume carefully and look for spelling and grammar errors. It’s also a good idea to have someone else read your resume to catch any errors that you might have missed.
Split up text into several paragraphs to make it easier to read and understand
When writing your resume, it’s important to make sure that it’s easy to scan, read and understand. One way to do this is to split up the text into smaller paragraphs and sections, or throw more white space in between different sections. This can make it easier for the reader to quickly scan your resume and find the information that they’re looking for.
Final Thought…
Remember that your resume is your chance to make a good impression on a potential employer or recruiter. Since technical recruiters and hiring managers spend their days scanning and reading technical resumes, it’s a good idea to be aware of (and reminded about!) some of those best practices that go into writing better IT resumes. Following these best practices will improve your resume and your chances of getting hired and starting your new career in IT!